Essent Group reported first-quarter 2026 net income of $171.8 million, down from $175.4 million a year earlier, while diluted earnings per share rose to $1.82 from $1.69.
Mortgage new insurance written totaled $11.1 billion in the quarter, compared with $11.8 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025 and $9.9 billion in the first quarter of 2025. Mortgage insurance in force at March 31, 2026 was $247.9 billion, slightly below $248.4 billion at December 31, 2025 and up from $244.7 billion a year earlier.
Net investment income increased to $59.3 million from $58.2 million in the first quarter of 2025.
The company declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.35 per common share, payable June 10 to shareholders of record June 1.
Essent also said it repurchased about 3.5 million common shares for more than $214 million through April 30, 2026. During the quarter, it entered into an excess-of-loss reinsurance transaction with third-party reinsurers covering business written in calendar year 2027, with forward protection effective July 1, 2027. The market has reacted to these announcements by moving the company's shares 1.78% to a price of $62.675. Check out the company's full 8-K submission here.
